Worth its salt?: Lyons receives $14K to build unique attraction

LYONS, Kan. (KWCH) – The City of Lyons is using a state grant to launch a unique construction project toward its goal of drawing more visitors to its community. The city’s plan is to build the world’s largest salt shaker.

The plan surprised many in Lyons when they heard about their town’s next project.

“We’re going to have a tourist attraction, draw some attention,” said Mike’s Furniture Store Manager Many Hogg.

That excitement in the community is what Lyons Community Development Coordinator Alicia Hommon said she wants to see.

“It’ll give someone a reason to drive into downtown Lyons and see what we have going on down here,” Hommon said.

In a few months, plans call for the world’s largest salt shaker to call a corner of downtown Lyons home and attract more traffic.

“Rural America and rural Kansas is struggling right now because we need those tax dollars coming in, people coming in to see who we are, spending money in our commercial quarter,” Hommon said.

A state grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce awarded Lyons nearly $14,000 to build a city attraction. The decision to build the world’s biggest salt shaker ties in with the town’s connection with salt.

“It would be fitting, though, since we do have the salt mines here,” Lyons resident LaDana Boleware explained.

Enthusiasm for the project comes with an opportunity for Lyons to boast a record it can call its own.

“It makes me feel hopeful that we have enough people trying to keep us on the map,” Hogg said.

Plans call for the giant salt shaker to have an old-diner-style look and be made from glass and metal. The city hopes to have it completed sometime this fall.

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